Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-08-04


Smart. Sand there comes the butchers
cart, and haven't money enough left
from my weeks allowance to buy single
steak, and here it is only Wednesday,"
Cant you buy on credit"
"Never!' said Mrs. Smart, with spirit.
cts thing I never have done, and 1
never will doH'
Elias hazel eyes sparkled, as she shook
was just checking his old horses al the
door.
Nothing to day." she said.
Mrs. Smart dashed away tear.
''Give me some of that shelled corn,
Ella" she said. 81 suppose [ can catch
chicken for dinner"
"Do nothing of the sort, my DEAR" said
Ella.
"But what are we to do?"
"Why, have picked-up dinner"
answered Ella. "You just leave me to
manage i for YOU
''But I'm afraid the Deacon won't like
it," said Mrs. Smart.
swell, and if he doesn't? You don't
like the peddler business, do your" quick
ly retorted Ella.
At 1 o'clock the table was all spread
with three huge central platters care
fully shielded with the coverings which
were ordinarily brought out only on
state occasions, and Mrs. Smart and Ella
were peeping out of the window, and
wondering what kept the Deacon so late.
There he comes now" said Mrs. Smart.
"Good gracious, me! And there is Willis
Mildmay coming home with him. We
never counted on his bringing company
to dinner, Ella"
"What signifies company" asked
Ella, stoutly maintaining her composure,
although her pretty face turned pink all
over, like June rose. "Wiliis Mildmay
won't care when he comprehends it all.
Willis is sensible man."
''Come in, Mr.. Smart-come in, Mr..
Midway" said Mrs. Smart. you're half
and hour late, Ebenezer. Ella and L
could not imagine what had become of
YOU"
'I hope 1 am not intrnding," said
Mr.. Mildmay, looking at Ella as if one
glance at her rosy face was all the dinner
that he wanted.
ooh, not in the leastm said Mrs. Smart.
"Pray sit down. We have but a plain
dinner to-day, but it is all my housekeep-
ing allowance would admit"
"No apologies, my dear" said Deacon
Smart-''no apologies. Hunger is the
best sauce, as we well know"
And thereupon they all seated them
selves at the table, and the Deacon
whisked off the platter covers, with a
cOuntenance of expectation.
"HeIlo" said the Deacon.
There upon the center platter lay the
eighteen pale green papers of pins At
the right and left, on smaller platters,
were arranged the cards of porcelain
buttons, and the rolls of tape, and the
shoe-strings, while the bottles of machine
oil and packages of stove backing were
arranged like child's block-house on a
side table, beneath white napkin, by
way of dessert.
Ella burst out laughing, Mrs. Smart
Joined in. Willis Mildmay, spurreo on
by the infectious sound, laughed too,
although he had not the least idea what
he was laughing at. The Deacon star
ed as if he had suddenly become all
eyes.
'Julianna," he said, "what is the mean
ing of this?"
at means, Ebenezer," his wife respond
ed, "that you have spent my hOusekeep-
ing money on peddler's cheap wares, and
that Ella and L determined to serve them
up to you for dinner! And what you
don't eat, we are going to burn; and
henceforward, whatever is bought has got
to be of good quality, or I won't have 1t
in the house! Because | have come to
the CONCLUSION that charity is one thing,
and Justice is another. And if you give
me money for housekeeping, it isn't for
you to spend it in buying articles which
no one can use''
Certainly ii isn't!" said Ella coming to
the rescue.
The Deacon's under jaw dropped; he
had half a mind to be angry, but he
thought better of it, and broke into low
chuckle.
MIR. Mildmay," he said, turning to the
young man, ''be warned in time! You see
what tricks these women folks will always
be up to"
But Mr.. Mildmay, who had somehow or
other got hold of Elias hand under the
folds of the table-cloth, did not seem to
heed these wol DIS of wisdom as deeply as
he should have done.
Ladies'" he said, "there's a bushel of
oysters out in the wagon, that l was TAX
ing home. If you will build up a good
fire we'll have roast, and I'll be head
good bread and butter?"
Eyes, and nice hot Coffee" said Mrs.
Smart. MAKE haste, Ella, and start the
fire to blaze, and we'll stimulate it with
machine Gil and cheap pins"
The Deacon sat by and made no de-
muir.
He only laughed in sheepish, silent
sort of way.
And they dined off hot roast oysters,
bread and butter, and coffee.
Towards the close of the repast, stout
itinerant vender, with a basket on his
arm, tapped at the door.
IT hope 1 see your honor well?" sais
he, with the regular professional whine.
"Wilree buy something to-day? Pins,
needles, shoe-laces, hair-pins, or little
But Deacon Smart shut the door in
the very midst Of his oily Grafton.
mol" he said.
And that monosyllable sealed Mrs.